Guantanamo Officers Caught Modifying Wikipedia

James Hardine writes "Wikileaks reports that US armed forces personnel at Guantanamo have conducted propaganda attacks over the Internet. (The story has been picked up by the NYTimes, The Inquirer, the New York Daily News, and the AP.) The activities documented by Wikileaks include deleting Guantanamo detainees' ID numbers from Wikipedia, posting of self-praising comments on news websites in response to negative articles, promoting pro-Guantanamo stories on the Internet news focus website Digg, and even altering Wikipedia's entry on Cuban President Fidel Castro to describe him as 'an admitted transsexual' (misspelling the word 'transsexual'). Guantanamo spokesman Lt. Col. Bush blasted Wikileaks for identifying one 'mass communications officer' by name, who has since received death threats for 'simply doing his job — posting positive comments on the Internet about Gitmo.'"

In other news,

[Anonymous Coward]

The mass communications officer is expected to make a full recovery as a Slashdot editor and meta-moderator.

Altering Wikipedia is an assigned job???

[rwyoder]

Guantanamo spokesman Lt. Col. Bush blasted Wikileaks for identifying one 'mass communications officer' by name, who has since received death threats for 'simply doing his job -- posting positive comments on the Internet about Gitmo.'

Lemme guess: The officers name is Winston Smith, and he is assigned to the Ministry of Truth?

Curse them, this is our Internet!

[Rayonic]

Certain people shouldn't be allowed to post comments or edit Wikipedia. We gotta lock the Internet down; it's the only way to preserve freedom of expression.

Re:Minor gripe

[Original Replica]

Why the hell are we paying for "mass communications officers" in the first place?

Because they are a part of the modern military: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_operations [wikipedia.org] (read it quick before it get's edited)

Now you might think that it would be wrong for the US Government to use a part of the military against US citizens, but then you would be supporting the terrorists. Here's why: The Terrorists can read the internet. It's OK to trample on you if it is in the name of Stopping The Terrorists. Any red blooded American should be proud to read purposefully distorted information, because they know that it is the only way to Stop The Terrorists and protect Freedom. America, fuck yeah.

Re:Altering Wikipedia is an assigned job???

[snarkh]

No, the guy is working for the Ministry of Love over there. That's why the outrage.

Where did they find the time?

[Anonymous Coward]

Where did they find the time to to edits? I thought they spent all their time getting really Gay with all the prisoners.... you know parading them around naked, stacking them up naked, sticking stuff in their ass... Don't ask, don't tell indeed...

Re:Altering Wikipedia is an assigned job???

[ShieldW0lf]

According to the article:

Wolff, Richard M. MC1, USN, Mass Communication Specialist/Webmaster
Joint Task Force Guantanamo APO AE 09360 Cuba
Phone: [phone]
Ph DSN: 660-8135
Email: [e-mail]
Alt Email: [e-mail]

Wouldn't want that to get misplaced.

Re:i live in the USA

[MLease]

Well, you can. But in big city parks, such as Central Park in NYC, it's not a good idea.

-Mike

Re:Minor gripe

[Chainsaw]

Now where the hell is my moderation points when I need it? "+1 Irony" would have been fitting.

Re:Ignorant

[AdmiralWeirdbeard]

nono, i think he's right. Colbert's been saying for quite some time that the facts have an anti-US bias.
Wikileaks contains facts, and is therefore by the transitive property operating with an anti-US bias.
thats math, you cant argue with that.

Re:Yawn...

[WK2]

Yes. We should refrain from solving any problem until some other problem gets fixed. That'll get things done.

Re:Ignorant

[im_thatoneguy]

Richard M. Wolff is that you?

Re:Minor gripe

[Fred_A]

Why the hell are we paying for "mass communications officers" in the first place?

It's either that or a "Mace communications officer". Take your pick.